This invention relates to a steering means for an automobile having positive steerage and more particularly to a steering means for an automobile in which the direction of the steered wheels are returned automatically to be along the longitudinal direction of the body of the automobile without returning the handle to its neutral position after the handle is rotated by any angle.
In a conventional steering means, the deflection of the steered wheels is proportional to the rotational angle of the handle whatever the speed of the automobile may be. Thus, if a driver operates the handle suddenly on feeling a necessity to change the direction of the automobile when it is running at a high speed, he can attain his purpose to change the direction of the automobile indeed. However, there occurs a problem that such secondary accidents as the slip and the lateral turning of the automobile occur because the centrifugal force becomes then very large on account of the high speed of the automobile. Of course this problem can be eliminated if the driver operating the handle keeps the rotational angle of the handle less at the high speed running of the automobile, feeling the speed of it even if a proportionality exists between the rotational angle of the handle and the deflection of the steered wheels. However, it will be impossible in practice to require the driver to assume such function especially in an instance and it is usual for such secondary accidents to occur as the result of the sudden operation of the handle carried out indiscreetly.
The object of the present invention is to provide a steering means in which the coupling between the handle and the steered wheels become more loose as the speed of the automobile is higher and the abrupt change itself of the running direction of the automobile is prevented at the high speed running, thereby the secondary accidents being avoided.